Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs

Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs! Can you imagine the goodness?! A deliciously tasty twist on Jalapeno Poppers loaded with cream cheese, fresh jalapeno, cheddar cheese, and BACON all stuffed into an edible dish you can eat with your hands! This might just be the perfect appetizer...

Chicken Cheddar and Guacamole Burgers

Chicken Cheddar and Guacamole Burgers are da bomb y'all! Oh my yumminess these are good! But then again, I go on and on about anything with guacamole, but really these are amazing!

The chicken is seasoned perfectly with onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, cumin, paprika, a little lime juice, and, of course, salt and pepper. All of those flavors play so nicely together in this juicy and tender chicken burger.

As if that is not enough, we go ahead and smother the chicken burgers with sharp cheddar cheese and then top 'em off with some Simple Guacamole and a tomato too, just for good measure. All of that is sandwiched inside a delicately toasted bun. Absolutely heavenly!

Chicken burgers get a bad rap for being dry and somewhat tasteless, but this chicken burger is breaking through all those stereotypes and proving the naysayers wrong with juicy deliciousness! Go ahead, give it a try. You can thank me later <smile>

Mexican Pork Carnitas

Mexican Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Tomatillo Salsa are a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, and a whole lot tasty!! The pork is tender and flavorful and the tomatillo salsa is sa-weeet and deeee-li-cious. The fresh flavors in this dish pair so well together!! 

Don and I gobbled it all up in one meal!! Next time I'll have to make double the recipe to have some yummy leftovers!! I can see this being fabulous over rice!

This recipe was inspired by Mazola's Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Tomatillo Sauce on allrecipes.com. Mazola® understands the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, and with delicious recipes like this one, eating for your health doesn't mean you have to give up flavor!! Check out more of Mazola's heart healthy recipes on allrecipes.com.

Turkey and Zucchini Enchiladas with Verde Sauce

Healthy, Spicy and delicious!

This is easy to make and good for you too! Making these enchiladas with ground turkey and zucchini make these lower in fat and calories than your typical enchiladas.  You don't sacrifice flavor, either!

The sauce has a bit of a bite to it, but I love it! The new Herdez Mexican Cooking Sauces make dinner easy and they are really delicious!

This recipe was created by one of the allrecipes.com Allstars and my good friend, Renee of Renee's Kitchen Adventures. Visit her blog to read about how she went about creating this tasty dish! Herdez and allrecipes.com liked this recipe so much, they published it as part of the Herdez Collection on allrecipes.com! How exciting is that??   Check out the Turkey and Zucchini Enchilada recipe on Renee's Kitchen Adventures. I made this recipe as stated on Renee's Kitchen Adventures, except I halved the recipe and after removing the foil I put it under the broiler just until slightly browned. I served this with sour cream, cilantro, and homemade guac!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Salad

If you think this sounds like a strange combo, you are not alone, but strangely enough it works! The sweet potato and lime juice are the perfect mix of sweet and tangy that combines beautifully with the earthy flavor of the black beans. Packed full of healthy stuff, this salad is not only delicious, but it is good for you too! Who doesn't like that?

This beautiful dish is easy to make and pairs wonderfully with Roast Pork. You can serve this hot or cold - either way it will disappear quickly!

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place chopped sweet potatoes on foil lined tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to coat potatoes and spread in single layer on baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender. The roasting time will vary depending on the size of your potato cubes.

While the potatoes are roasting, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Add 1/2 medium finely chopped red onion and black beans and mix well. When potatoes are tender add them to the black bean mixture and combine. Give it a taste and salt and pepper as needed. Top with 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Cilantro and Pork Stir Fry

allrecipes.com Cilantro and Pork Stir Fry

Don, the hubs, loves rice! He would be happy if I served anything with rice every night. Sadly for him, rice is not MY favorite, but I have figured out how to make it where I can enjoy it. He is very happy to enjoy his rice meals more often now.

This month with the allrecipes Allstar Ambassador program we are tackling faceless recipes again! Newly published recipes on the site don't have reviews or pictures. They stay that way until some brave soul gives it a try.  I didn't used to enjoy trying an unproven recipe. Afterall, the reason why I love allrecipes.com so much is for the reviews! It is a handy tool for finding fantastic recipes!

Since being a brand ambassador for allrecipes.com, I have learned to enjoy the challenge of trying recipes that are not rated or photographed. I've found some real winners, too, and this Cilantro Pork Stir Fry is one of them! The first time I made this there were NO leftovers! There were only 2 of us!! I only had one small serving that I enjoyed very much, but Don just kept on going back for more haha  I couldn't believe it when I went to clean up and there was nothing left for me to photograph!! So I had to make it again so I could give it a face on allrecipes.com and for this blog post.

It's not really a surprise we enjoyed this dish - Pork is my favorite protein. I love it!! And Pork Tenderloin is my absolute favorite cut - it is the Prime Rib of Pork (imo)!  Tenderloin is an expensive cut, but I purchase it when it goes on sale for $4.99/lb or less, making it a very affordable treat. 

A couple important tips when cooking with Pork: 

• DO NOT overcook it!!  Pork should be a little pink in the center. It is okay. I promise! I know your meat thermometer might suggest otherwise, but many meat thermometers are incorrect since the USDA adjusted the safe cooking temperature for pork in 2011. Pork is safe to eat at 145 degrees internally. If you cook it to 140 degrees F. and let it rest for about 10 minutes, you'll be golden. 
• DO NOT freeze it. Buy your pork fresh and cook it up from fresh. Freezing pork changes the texture and the flavor...not in a good way.

Cilantro Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

• Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tablespoon garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add sliced pork and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. 
• Remove pork from marinade and discard unused marinade. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wok or skillet over mid-high heat. Add pork and let it sear for 2-3 minutes and then turn over and sear other side for 2-3 minutes. Pork will be slightly pink in middle. Remove from pan and cover with foil.  NOTE: You might have to sear the meat in 2 batches if you don't have enough room in the skillet to add it all in a single layer. Also, the cooking time will vary depending on how the pork was cut. Thicker cuts will take longer.
• Add 1 tablespoon lime juice to the pan to deglaze. Scrape up those yummy brown bits from the bottom of the skillet and then add the onions and peppers and cook until desired tenderness. Once the peppers and onions are to your liking, add the pork and cilantro and cook for about 1 minute - until the cilantro is wilted. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed to your liking.

I serve this over white rice. To make the rice to my liking, I melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over mid-high heat. I add 1 cup of rice and brown it slightly. Then I add 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of chicken base. Bring it to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 mins. The rice should be a little moist at this point, but not standing in water. Uncover and give it a stir. Remove from heat until ready to serve. NOTE: If it is still too watery after 15 mins - recover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Ginger Glaze

Here it is! My favorite recipe! This is so yummy I make it anytime Pork Tenderloin is on sale.  I also make it when we have company, as it is quick, easy, and looks great too!

Ingredients

• 2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
•  
• Spice Rub:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (you can sub in 1 tbsp of garlic powder if you prefer)
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  
• Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy)
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/2 lime, juiced (taste and if more is needed juice the other 1/2 -I usually prefer just 1/2)

Directions

Place chili powder, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a jar; shake to blend. Rub spice mixture onto pork tenderloins. Wrap tenderloins in saran wrap and refrigerate overnight

Prior to cooking tenderloins, melt apricot preserves in a microwave by using a microwave safe bowl and heating on high for 30 seconds at a time until melted.  Stir in remaining glaze ingredients. Reserve 1/2 the glaze to use during cooking, and place the other half in a serving bowl and hold for service.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Sear the tenderloins over med-high heat - get a good sear on each side of the tenderloins. Be sure to use an oven safe skillet!

Once seared nicely, brush the top of the tenderloins with half of the reserved glaze

Place the pan in the pre-heated oven (be sure it is oven safe) and cook for 10 minutes;

After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and check temperature with an instant read thermometer

Turn tenderloins over and brush with remaining glaze. Place pan back in oven for another 7-10 minutes until temp reaches 140 degrees.   

Let rest for 10 minutes

Slice

Serve with the reserved sauce and enjoy...

I typically serve this with a salad when I make it just for us, but when I make it for company I whip up some garlic mashed potatoes with some sauteed spinach - yummmmm

This can also be cooked on the grill. Pre-heat grill to med-high heat and cook tenderloins for 5 mins on all sides for a total of 15 minutes or until temp reaches 140 degrees.  Brush with glaze on both sides during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Let rest for 10 minutes; slice and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Ginger Glaze